Lot 851 United States 1870 #95 5c Jefferson Pair with “F” Grill on Cover to Paris. Cover (still with its contents) was mailed Syracuse March 8, through New York March 15, arrived Cherbourg March 26. The envelope was carried by the Silesia (Hamburg America Line) arriving at Plymouth March 25. The USA-France postal convention was cancelled at the end of 1869 so ten cents prepaid the rate to the French border. The large “8” (decimes) was to collect the rate from Cherbourg to Paris. Missing part of its backflap, still fine and desirable. This item has a 1976 Philatelic Foundation certificate identifying it as #95 genuinely used on cover. This is reported to be a very early use of the #95. Scott catalogue value of a pair is $1,900 and a single on cover catalogues $950. Estimate C$750.
new york
Lot 452, 1891 25c registered SQ cover to New South Wales, sold for $3910
Lot 452 1891 25c non-UPU registered letter rate cover to New South Wales, franked with 3c vermilion (two pairs and two singles) plus two 5c gray, all tied by grid cancels, overpaying the 15c non-UPU letter rate for service via Southampton, England, plus 10c registration fee. Mailed from Toronto (AUG.23.1891) to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (Oct. 9 receiver) via Windsor (Aug. 24), Chicago (Aug. 25), New York (Aug. 27) and London (Sep. 4) and endorsed “via Brindisi”. Fine-very fine and believed to be a unique rate and routing. (Unitrade 41, 42)
Letters to New South Wales were normally sent at the 12c non-UPU rate using the trans-Pacific route via San Francisco. This cover was sent to New South Wales using the more expensive 15c rate using the slower trans-Atlantic route via Southampton and Brindisi route, and is believed to be the only such recorded cover. In addition, it is also believed to be the only cover to an Australian State at the 10c registration fee.
Estimate $2,500, sold for $3,400 plus buyer’s premium.
Lot 23 — Canada 1855 ten pence blue Cartier with re-entry, on cover Quebec City to New York
Lot 23 Canada #7iv 1855 10d blue Cartier with Re-Entry in Pos. 53 on Cover, mailed Quebec City on APR.12.1856 and addressed to New York. There is a Montreal transit datestamp on reverse. Stamp has four margins (close at bottom left) and shows part of adjoining stamp at top, tied to cover by a black target. There is also a red PAID handstamp on front. Very fine and accompanied by a 1981 Greene Foundation certificate. Unitrade CV$4,500
Lot 2 — Canada 1851 three penny beavers on cover, one with re-entry
Lot 2 Canada #1, 1iii 1851 3d red Beaver with Re-Entry on Folded Letter, mailed at Toronto on JUN.11.1852 and addressed to Kennedy in New York. The cover is franked with a regular #1 (filing crease but 4 margins) and a #1 with re-entry (position A47 – this stamp was removed for inspection and replaced and has 4 margins, close at top), each tied by its own target cancel. File fold, else very fine. Accompanied by a 2012 Richard Gratton AIEP certificate. Unitrade $3,700